So Long, Mr. Dawkins

So Long, Mr. Dawkins

There should be a Darryl Dawkins statue on ESPN’s campus. The sports network was brand new and struggling for content in the Fall of 1979 when Chocolate Thunder shattered his first blackboard. Viewers couldn’t get enough of the clip, and the only show on cable that could run it and rerun it was SportsCenter, so that’s what they did until Chris Berman and ESPN became household names.

Darryl Dawkins, known for his thunderous dunks and flamboyant nickname, has died. “It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Darryl Dawkins, who succumbed today to a heart attack. Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart,” the statement said.